This is a recipe from my mom’s recipe box, credited to Grace Thorp. She was the mother of my mom’s friend Betty and belonged to the same church where I grew up in the ’80s. This makes a serviceable bread for snacking or breakfast. The original recipe didn’t call for any extract or other flavor, though I think it can’t hurt if you want to punch it up a bit.

1/2 lb. dates, chopped into small pieces
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, well beaten
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 2/1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp ginger, rum, or vanilla extract (optional)

Put the date pieces into a heat-proof bowl and add boiling water. Let cool.

In a separate mixing bowl, mix the butter, sugar, and salt. Add the egg, flour, and baking powder (and extract if you plan to use it). Mix well, then stir in the dates, water, and nuts.

Turn the mixture into greased loaf pan(s) and bake at 350F. With a single 9 x 5 x 3-inch pan it should take about 1 1/4 hour.